Relief Trade Targets

[ettin]

Earlier today Cory Rasmus rejoined the Angels bullpen and that will certainly be a nice shot in the arm for the team either in long or short relief. Since his return, in a limited 15.1 innings, he's running an elite K%-BB% of 39%!

All that good feeling set aside I feel like the Angels will try to acquire a reliever that can handle left-handed hitters well.

After sorting through some lists I've identified, mostly, relievers who either a ) are on teams that seem to be sellers in the market and/or b ) have high salaries or will soon have high salaries through arbitration/contract.

In no particular order:

Adam Ottavino

Francisco Rodriguez

Will Smith

Jake McGee

Aroldis Chapman

Zach Putnam

Hunter Strickland

Craig Kimbrel

Brandon Maurer

Evan Scribner

Brad Brach

Cody Allen

Out of that group I feel like the most attainable relievers that wouldn't cost us a significant prospect or package of prospects would be Ottavino (2 years of control), McGee (2 years of control but escalating arbitration salary) and our old friend K-Rod (2 years left on his contract).

I can't quite believe I'm saying this but K-Rod is inexpensive, is throwing really well this year (K%-BB% vs. LHP: 24.2%, vs. RHP: 21.9%) and has two inexpensive option years after this. Domestic violence issues aside he'd be a shot in the arm to our bullpen (again).

Again this list is mostly geared to combating LHH's but someone like Ottavino, McGee, and Rodriguez could easily pitch against RHH's well too.

Let's hope we can find a great reliever to add to the back end of our 'pen to join Street, Smith, Salas (can't believe I just typed that too), and Rasmus.

Edited July 31, 2015 by ettin

[HaloMilliVanilli]

Would love Jake McGee.

[beatlesrule]

Won't Shoe or Weaver be going to the pen? There's your bp arm.

[Jason]

Won't Shoe or Weaver be going to the pen? There's your bp arm.

Lol at Weaver in the pen

[Quinlanforthewin]

Won't Shoe or Weaver be going to the pen? There's your bp arm.

 

We need a bullpen arm that can come in and you can be confident he would get a strikeout.  Weaver and Shoemaker are not that. Weaver would be a disaster out of the pen. 

[beatlesrule]

We need a bullpen arm that can come in and you can be confident he would get a strikeout. Weaver and Shoemaker are not that. Weaver would be a disaster out of the pen.

So you think the Angels are going with a 6 man rotation? I highly doubt it.

[Quinlanforthewin]

So you think the Angels are going with a 6 man rotation? I highly doubt it.

 

No I have no idea what they're going to do I just don't think Shoe or Weaver would be the quality bullpen arm we need

[Angel Oracle]

Shoe will best be utilized in that role beyond this year.

He's pitching too well to take out of the rotation.

[tomsred]

Send CJ Wilson to the pen.

[ettin]

Send CJ Wilson to the pen.

Better yet trade C.J. Wilson for relief help.

[Docwaukee]

I would imagine that MS and Stoneman have veto power on all trades right now so the thought that we would trade a veteran performing well  from the major league club on a playoff caliber team is laughable.  

 

I don't feel like any more help is coming ladies and gents.  

 

We made the expected trades for some veteran OF help without losing any of our minor league depth or our top prospects.   They aren't going to push their luck.  

[nikkachez]

I would imagine that MS and Stoneman have veto power on all trades right now so the thought that we would trade a veteran performing well from the major league club on a playoff caliber team is laughable.

I don't feel like any more help is coming ladies and gents.

We made the expected trades for some veteran OF help without losing any of our minor league depth or our top prospects. They aren't going to push their luck.

Even though they're looking at relief help and it's been reported by all the beat writers?

[KevinJ14]

How about Boxberger?